Abhanga 1665
Real closeness matters more than ceremony, so ask for the honest embrace first and let decoration and display come only afterward.
The verse
जेणें वेळ लागे । ऐसें सांडीं पांडुरंगे ॥१॥ कंठ कंठा मिळे देई । माझा वोरस तूं घेई ॥ध्रु.॥ नको पीतांबर । सांवरूं हे अळंकार ॥२॥ टाकीं वो भातुकें । लौकिकाचें कवतुकें ॥३॥ हातां पायां नको । कांहीं वेगळालें राखों ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे यावरी । मग सुखें अळंकारीं ॥५॥
Literal translation
By which time takes — abandon such, Pāṇḍuranga. Throat-meet-throat — give — take my vōrasa. Don't pītāmbara — setting up these ornaments. Throw down the bhātukē — of the public-display. To hands, to feet — don't keep anything separate. Tuka says: after this — then, happily, ornament.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जेणें वेळ लागे | "by which — time takes" |
| ऐसें सांडीं पांडुरंगे | "such (things) — abandon — Pāṇḍuranga" |
| कंठ कंठा मिळे देई | "throat-meet-throat — give" |
| माझा वोरस तूं घेई | "my — vōrasa (surge) — take" |
| नको पीतांबर | "don't (need) — pītāmbara" |
| सांवरूं हे अळंकार | "to set up — these ornaments" |
| टाकीं वो भातुकें | "throw down — bhātukē" |
| लौकिकाचें कवतुकें | "of-the-public — display" |
| हातां पायां नको | "to hands, to feet — don't" |
| कांहीं वेगळालें राखों | "anything — separate-keep" |
| तुका म्हणे यावरी | "Tuka says — after this" |
| मग सुखें अळंकारीं | "then — happily — ornament" |
What it means
Come-immediately-no-ceremony abhang.
The opening: jēṇē vēḷa lāgē — aisēm sāṇḍīm Pāṇḍurangē — abandon anything that takes time, Pāṇḍuranga.
The throat-embrace: kaṇṭha kaṇṭhā miḷē dē'ī — mājhā vōrasa tūm ghē'ī — give throat-meets-throat — take my vōrasa. Kaṇṭha-kaṇṭhā miḷaṇē = throat-meets-throat (= cheek-to-cheek embrace); vōrasa = the surge / overflow / outpouring of emotion. Give the throat-embrace; receive my outpouring.
The reject-the-pītāmbara: nakō pītāmbara — sāmvarūm hē aḷankāra — don't (do) pītāmbara — set-up these ornaments. Don't bother fixing your pītāmbara or arranging your ornaments first — come as you are.
The throw-bhātukē: ṭākīm vō bhātukē — laukikācē kavatukē — throw down the bhātukē — of public-display. Bhātukē = snack-package (with the public-display-character of formal-gift-bringing); laukika-kavatuka = display-for-the-people-to-see. Throw down such formalities.
The no-separation: hātām pāyām nakō — kāhīm vēgaḷālēm rākhōm — to hands, to feet — don't keep anything separate. Don't keep your hands or feet separate (from me) — bring everything close.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē yāvarī — maga sukhē aḷankārīm — Tuka says: after this — then, happily, ornament. After the embrace is given — then, happily, you may ornament yourself. (= first the meeting, then the show.)
This abhang is one of Tukaram's most-intimate hurry-prayers: rejecting all ceremonial-buffer between bhakta and Lord, asking only for immediate-throat-embrace.
[T]
For someone today
For today: abandon anything that takes time, Pāṇḍuranga; give me throat-meets-throat embrace — receive the overflow of my emotion; don't bother with the yellow-silk, no setting-up of ornaments; throw down the snack-package and the public-display; don't keep your hands or feet separate from me; Tuka says — after this is done, then happily ornament yourself.
Where this applies
- When you want a real, honest moment with someone more than you care how the meeting looks
- When formality or protocol is getting between you and genuine closeness with someone you love
- When you catch yourself performing for an audience instead of being present with the person in front of you
- When you want connection first and think appearances can wait